Naz Reid, Timberwolves shake off slow start, beat Luka Doncic and Mavs 119-101

DALLAS (AP) Naz Reid scored 19 of his season-high 27 points in the first half, Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and a season-high 17 rebounds, and the Minnesota Timberwolves shook off an early 15-point deficit to beat Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks 119-101 on Thursday night.

The Wolves (18-5) avoided their first losing streak of the season and matched Boston for the NBA's best record.

Doncic had 39 points and 13 rebounds for the Mavericks, whose four-game winning streak ended. It was the ninth consecutive game with at least 30 points for Doncic, who entered second in the NBA in scoring at 32.0 points.

Minnesota, which came in allowing the second-fewest points in the league at 105.9 per game, held Dallas to 41 points in the second half and 19 in the fourth quarter.

Anthony Edwards, the Wolves’ leading scorer, returned to the lineup after missing three of the previous five games with a right hip pointer. Averaging 24.4 points coming in, he scored nine.

Reid came off the bench and hit a career-best seven 3-pointers, five in the first half. It was the third time this season someone other than Edwards or Towns led Minnesota in scoring.

With the score tied 74-all midway through the third period, the Timberwolves went on an 8-0 run and led the rest of the way, extending their advantage to as many as 22 points. Towns had eight points and six rebounds in the third as Dallas shot 36.4% in the quarter, including 1 of 10 from behind the arc.

The Mavericks played their third consecutive game without Kyrie Irving, their No. 2 scorer, who has a foot injury.

Dallas led 60-59 at halftime thanks to Doncic’s left-handed layup with 30 seconds left in the half. That gave him 26 points on 9-of-15 shooting.

The Mavericks used a 14-0 run to lead 17-2 four minutes into the game, hitting 7 of 8 shots while the Wolves were 1 of 6 from the floor. But Minnesota responded with a 10-0 run.

UP NEXT

Timberwolves: Host Indiana on Saturday.

Mavericks: At Portland on Saturday.

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